


A Final Return

by meslunettes



Series: A Claudeleth Journey to Parenthood [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, I'm writing angst what??, Yes you read that right, except dimitri lives don't ask why or how, family fluff at the end, mention of postpartum death, post canon events of VW route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meslunettes/pseuds/meslunettes
Summary: The day his son was born, something unexpected happened. Claude found himself asking someone he never thought of for help and Byleth was able to meet an old friend once more before she makes one final return.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: A Claudeleth Journey to Parenthood [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1943089
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44





	A Final Return

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. I come bearing another one-shot (yes, I'm sorry I know I have a multi-chap fic to continue but inspiration has been slow with it. It's still going, I promise)
> 
> I'm dabbling a little into angst in this one, but of course I can't really let go of my signature fluff style in the end. This is sort of a continuation fic to the [ birthday fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26583664) I posted earlier. I intended to have about 2 or 3 stories in-between until it reached this point of the saga but this one was begging to be written so I decided I'll be doing things out of order instead.
> 
> Anyhoo, the whole time I was writing this fic, I have been listening to [ this ](https://youtu.be/hTHFigO7RIM) song. If you like guitar instrumentals, I hope this is to your liking. It's a guitar cover of an Indonesian song called "Rindu Dalam Hati". I kept on imagining the last segments of the story to the tune of this song because the melody really gave an overall bittersweet yet soft feel to it.

“Claude... perhaps it's time for you to go.”

  
Claude merely shook his head at Lorenz’s quiet suggestion, green eyes that had lost their spark remaining locked on the lifeless figure lying on the bed in front of him.

  
“Your son needs you too, Claude,” Lorenz continued, but his tone lacked the urgency that his words tried to convey.

  
Claude felt his heart rip apart at the mention of his son. He clenched his fists that were resting on top of his lap.

  
“Give me a while more Lorenz… please,” Claude muttered weakly, lacking the strength to hide the crack in his voice and the broken state of his spirit. He knew he needed to tend to the boy waiting for him. But he can’t now. Not yet.

  
Lorenz didn’t say anything at the Almyran King’s insistence. It was a rare sight to see the normally spirited man in such a crestfallen state. Even in the most dire situations, Claude would still manage to crack a joke or two and scheme himself a solution, living up to his nickname as Master Tactician.

  
But no amount of scheming or slick tactics could get them out of the situation they were in. What they needed was a miracle. Or the ability to turn back time. And the only person who was able to do both had slipped out of their grasps, leaving behind an irreplaceable hole in their hearts. Lorenz could feel himself on the brink of tears but he knew that no matter how much pain he and the rest of their friends were in, it was incomparable to what Claude must be feeling. Lorenz had no choice but to put up a strong facade, for he knew his friend would need his support for a certain amount of time in the future.

  
Lorenz turned on his heels and headed towards the door of the chamber, pausing briefly as his hand grabbed the handle.

  
"We'll all be outside if you need us," he turned his head back to Claude. There was no response from him and Lorenz didn't expect to receive one. The Gloucester Count exited the room and closed the door behind him with a gentle click.

  
Claude allowed himself a few minutes to be immersed in the heavy silence of the room before letting a single tear roll down his cheek. He found himself curled up in his chair, body trembling as he lost himself in grief.

  
The last time he cried like this was years ago, during his boyhood when he felt his existence was worthless. It was also then that he vowed to never succumb to tears again as long as he lived. But how could he deny them when the reason he lived, the one who helped make all his life-long dreams a reality and filled his days with so much happiness, was now gone?

  
He didn't anticipate this. No one did. Byleth's pregnancy had been so easy on her. She hardly experienced any morning sickness or weird cravings. There weren't many complaints of discomfort from her apart for some muscle aches in her last trimester. She was in great condition during every check up.

  
But complications happened regardless. As Claude held Byleth's hand during her labour, Manuela pointed out with a worried frown that there had been too much blood loss in the process. Byleth lost her consciousness by the time she managed to push the baby out of her with the help of Manuela, Mercedes and Marianne. A frantic Manuela and Mercedes immediately tended to her while Marianne was tasked with cleaning his newborn son. Claude was left standing in the room to watch the commotion in dread. 

  
It all happened in only a few minutes but Mercedes' tearful face as she held Byleth's hand and Manuela's exasperation told him all he needed to know.

  
They had lost her.

  
And when he was given his son to hold for the first time, he found his heart heavy with the thought that the boy will grow up never knowing what an amazing soul his mother was. 

  
He gave the baby back to Marianne, to her surprise. He wanted to welcome the boy to the world with a lighter heart, it wass what he deserved. But Claude wasn't able to give that at the moment. Even though he had a new life with his son, he wanted to grieve the loss of his guiding star.

  
Claude lifted his head and looked at Byleth's figure. He stretched out his trembling hands and grasped one of hers in them, his heart wrenched at how cold the normally warm hand felt to the touch. Her entire body had lost all the color of life, her pink lips that he treasured so dearly gradually turning into a shade of blue.

  
Claude clasped his hands together around the smaller one within his grasp. He lifted them up and leaned his forehead against them.

  
"...I never believed in you as a goddess to turn to…" he whispered shakily, "but I do acknowledge your existence as Byleth's powers. I'm out of options here and I'm turning to you in desperation."

  
He paused as he let out a tearful choke he couldn't withhold.

  
"Sothis, if you're in there somewhere please...grant us a final miracle and bring Byleth back to us somehow. We have so much ahead of us...a lot of dreams we want to make a reality to the world…"

  
He closed his eyes.

  
"Our son needs her." He joined his hands tighter around Byleth's lifeless one. "I need her."

  
More tears trickled down his face.

  
"..Please..."

\---

\---

  
Byleth found herself in an endless darkness alone. The only thing she could see and feel was herself. Strangely, it didn't faze her. The entire setting seemed familiar.

  
"Honestly! You never cease to get into all sorts of mishaps."

  
Byleth turned to the direction of the all-too-familiar voice. Emerging from thin air was a green-haired girl, donning her signature intricate golden headpiece and flowy purple dress. Despite the way she looked, Byleth knew from what she had uncovered about the mysterious girl who used to reside in her head that her youthful appearance was merely a facade to a millenial of tragic history.

  
"Sothis!" Byleth called out and walked towards the goddess' manifestation.

  
Sothis' eyes scanned Byleth with a hint of fondness.

  
"It is good to see you too. I have missed our conversations very much."

  
Byleth approached the other girl with a soft smile. "I have missed you as well." She furrowed her brow in questioning. "I thought you vanished."

  
Sothis rolled her eyes. "I did not _vanish_. I merely merged with your soul so we became one, which enabled you to manifest my powers. You still don't get it?"

  
Byleth didn't respond but the frown on her face remained.

  
"You are still such a child even after all these years," Sothis sighed. "How you managed to rule a whole nation is beyond me."

  
"I had plenty of great help," Byleth shrugged. "Why are you able to show yourself again?"

  
Sothis' expression fell slightly at Byleth's question. She hesitated briefly before answering.

  
"Because you just died."

  
Byleth's eyes widened at the revelation. Her hand immediately moved over her abdomen only to find the swelling belly she had grown accustomed to over the past nine months gone. Despair filled her face once realization hit her.

  
"So that's how it is…"

  
Pity mixed with sorrow were reflected in Sothis' green eyes.

  
"You have led a great life, I enjoyed watching every one of your milestones with you."

  
Byleth nodded with downcast eyes. "It was more than I could ever ask for."

  
"You united not only a whole nation but two, defeated an undead bandit and his army, brought back the strength and hope within humanity and in the process you found yourself a family," Sothis paused, a solemn smile graced her youthful face, "and love."

  
Memories of a certain dark-haired man flooded Byleth's mind; his trademark cocky smile, his tender words that were reserved only for her along with his warm touch. She suddenly found her eyes misty. Blinking away the tears that threatened to fall out, Byleth looked up and met Sothis' eyes.

  
"I promised I'll be there with him ‘til the end…"

  
Sothis shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, no mortal can predict their own end. Though to be frank, if it were not for your son, I think your husband would be more than willing to join you, he is absolutely unable to live without you."

  
Byleth shook her head. "Claude wouldn't do that. He has too many things he needs to accomplish in life." She raised her eyebrows at Sothis. "My son… he lives?"

  
"True, but his soul will forever mourn for you," Sothis' face turned gentle, "and yes, your little boy is healthy and safe out there."

  
Byleth sighed in relief, a bittersweet smile on her face. She was happy to know her son was well but oh, goddess, how she wished to be there with him and Claude. She was looking forward to being a mother immensely, a desire spurred on by the lack of a mother's presence in her life. 

  
And yet history turned its tides once more on her and now her child would have to grow up without a mother. She felt her heart crack bit by bit at the thought.

  
"I am glad you chose Claude, his love for you is honest and true. He was a great husband," Sothis commented, breaking the silence between them.

  
Byleth nodded at the truth of Sothis' statement.

  
"Even now, he refused to let you go. He is praying for me to return you to the world again."

  
Byleth gave a mixture of amusement and disbelief at the goddess' words. "Claude? Praying to you?"

  
Sothis threw her head back in laughter. "Grief will make anyone resort to unthinkable things."

  
She paused before reaching out a hand and touching a side of Byleth's face. "I do hate to see your family in grief. Therefore, this will be the last time we will ever be able to converse like this."

  
Sothis' form suddenly glowed with a gentle yellow light and Byleth felt warmth permeating her body.

  
"Where will you go?" Byleth couldn't help but ask.

  
"We won't be connected anymore, hence I will disappear this time." Sothis threw a lop-sided smile. "But it might just be the time to let humanity take its own course without divine intervention."

  
Byleth saw her own hands glow a similar shade of light. Drowsiness suddenly crept upon her.

  
"Goodbye Byleth, thank you for showing me humanity through your eyes."

  
Byleth's eyelids grew heavier and her focus gradually blurred.

  
"I wish you a happy life with your family. Do take care this time, you only have one shot at this."

  
And everything became dark once more.

\---

\---

 _  
Ba-dump_.

  
Claude's eyes shot open.

  
Did he just feel..? No. It couldn't be.

  
He steadied a finger along the inside of Byleth's wrist.

 _  
Ba-dump_.

  
There was no mistake. He could feel a pulse. Claude turned his attention to Byleth's face. His eyes widened and he felt his jaw drop open.

  
Her light teal hair gradually changed into a familiar shade of blue Claude remembered from years ago during his academy days. He could feel the hand in his grasp regaining its warmth and her entire body gaining its color once more.

  
Goddess, yes. Claude threw his head back in prayer as relief and happiness washed over him. He felt Byleth stir. Her eyelids slowly opened revealing two blue irises.

  
"Claude.." Byleth croaked as her sight fell on him.

  
"By..Byleth..my star," Claude moved up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, careful not to crush her. He felt her arms slowly going around him and Claude buried his face at the crook of her neck, relishing her scent that he loved so much.

  
"You're back..you're here...I..I was so so scared...terrified at the thought of living without you," Claude whispered against her neck, holding her tight for fear she will disappear from his grasp once more. Her hand stroked his head, an affirmation that she was there and very much alive.

  
"I'm sorry love. But I'm here now... and more than you think." She guided his head to her chest and pressed his ear against her.

 _  
Ba-dump_.

  
Claude's eyes widened. He hovered over her and met her face once more. "Your heart.."

  
Byleth reached up and trailed a finger along the hair on his jawline. "I guess I'm only human now."

  
Claude let out a chuckle. "That's the only part of you I need by my side. I love you, with everything that you are."

  
His green eyes met hers, deep sapphire eyes looking at him filled with love and tenderness. He knew his own eyes reflected those emotions as well but they were merely the tip of his feelings towards her. He felt her hands at the back of his neck slowly pulling him down and he gladly let her. She was back with him and he would never deny her of anything for the rest of their lives.

  
Their lips met and Claude closed his eyes as he pressed into her with all the affection he could muster, letting her know of his endless devotion to her. There was no desperation. Only their unspoken language of love to each other was conveyed through the kiss.

  
Claude pulled back and they exchanged a knowing smile at each other, a silent understanding that they have all the time in the world now. He helped Byleth sit up on the bed, propping a pillow behind her.

  
"Would you like to see him?" 

  
He took her hand in his. Byleth nodded, her eyes twinking in excitement. Claude laughed lightly, placing a peck on her forehead before heading to the door.

  
Once outside, Claude saw their friends huddled together in varying stages of grief. Some were crying, others held one another as support. Some carried their sorrow in mournful silence. When they noticed his presence, many of them tried to offer him their best consoling smile.

  
He suddenly found himself feeling awkward, not knowing how to break the news to them. It's not everyday you let someone know that a person who had died came back to life.

  
He took a deep breath.

  
"So...um...she's alive."

  
He was met with a stunned silence from everyone. Well, that was expected.

  
"Come again?" Seteth asked.

  
"Byleth's alive," Claude laughed, "she's here with us now."

  
"Claude...I know you're grieving but it is no time to joke about something like that," Lorenz chided, but Claude didn't miss the hopeful glint in his eyes.

  
"I'm not, she's really living, breathing and moving," Claude grinned.

  
"Are you sure? If that's the case, we should check on her condition." Manuela was about to march into the room when Claude held up his hands.

  
"Before any of you come in and see her, I’d like a few moments of us with the baby alone.”

  
He turned his focus to the little bundle in Marianne’s arms. 

  
“Please?” he smiled.

\---

\---

  
Byleth had never been more nervous in her entire life. She wondered whether the fact that she could feel her heart pounding in her chest for the first time amplified the situation. Did hearts normally beat this fast? 

  
She brought a hand over her chest and inhaled deeply.

  
This was it. This was the moment she had been dreaming about ever since she found out she was expecting, the day she would finally meet her child. The day she would become a mother.

  
She felt her entire being overcome with anticipation. At the same time, a part of her was also worried. Would she be able to fill in the role of a mother to her child? She never had any maternal figure in her life that she could take examples from. Her entire life had been about the battlefield. Would she be able to cope with motherhood with all the patience and gentleness that it requires?

  
She heard the chamber door click open. When she looked up, she felt all her worries gradually dissipate from her mind. The sight that she was bestowed upon was enough to melt her soul.

  
Claude closed the door behind him softly and walked over to Byleth with all the carefulness he could muster. A wide, dopey smile was plastered across his face as he gazed upon the small bundle in his arms. Byleth couldn’t help a giggle when she noticed his slightly stiff posture as the Almyran King held the baby, but it didn’t deter him from holding the infant securely in his arms. She heard him whispering to the baby, affection radiating from his eyes. Byleth wanted to keep the image in her heart forever.

  
He sat on the edge of the bed close to her.

  
“Hey, little one,” he lowered the baby for Byleth to see, “meet your mama.”

  
The sleeping infant was so little, so fragile, Byleth was afraid he would break by a mere touch. His skin was slightly reddish but she could see hints of tan from his father. A tuft of dark brown hair covered his head.

  
“You want to hold him?” Claude asked. Byleth nodded, stretching her arm out for the boy. The baby stirred from the movement and when Byleth managed to cradle him in her arms, he blinked up at her, looking at her with tiny blue eyes that were similar to hers.

  
In that moment, Byleth knew she could never love anyone more than the little boy in her arms.

  
“He’s so perfect,” she muttered quietly, stroking the baby’s rosy cheeks and lulling him back to sleep.

  
“And he’s ours,” Claude whispered, planting a kiss to the side of her head. “What do you want to call him?”

  
Byleth turned to face him. “You haven’t named him yet?”

  
“Of course not,” Claude blinked, “I was waiting for you.”

  
Byleth furrowed her brows at his admission. “But Claude...I could have been - “

  
“I wasn’t a hundred percent sure...” Claude cut her off, bringing a hand to her face, “but a part of me had faith that you would return to me. You always did.”

  
“You’re a fool,” Byleth scoffed affectionately.

  
“I have always been for you,” Claude grinned. He removed his hand from her and stroked a thumb across their sleeping son’s face. “And now I’m an absolute fool for both of you.”

  
Byleth looked down at the baby in her arms, taking in his small frame in memory.

  
“Cyrus,” Byleth muttered.

  
Claude smiled at his wife’s decision. “I like that.”

  
“So all of us will be a part of the sky,” she added. 

  
Claude reached out for Byleth’s face, turning her to him gently and he gave her a feathered peck on her lips.

  
A knock from outside brought them out of their blissful reverie. The chamber door opened slightly, revealing Hilda and Lorenz peeking through its gap.

  
“Hey, Claude, I hate to break a beautiful family moment but Manuela insisted that she check on Byleth to make sure that she’s stable,” said Hilda.

  
“We also want to make sure that you are not experiencing some grandeur delusion from grief,” Lorenz added.

  
Claude turned to Byleth with an eyebrow raised. She nodded at him. Claude sighed as he stood up from the bed. “All right, you guys, you can come in now.”

  
The door flung open and immediately the entire crowd outside poured into the room. They all went into a halt mid-way with a gasp as they took in Byleth’s appearance.

  
“Hello everyone, sorry to have worried all of you,” Byleth said to the group with a smile.

  
“Professor, your hair it's...” Lysithea started.

  
"Yes it is," Byleth nodded.

  
"Does this mean your crest power is gone?" Lindhart asked. Dorothea hit him on the back of his head.

  
"Lindhart! She just literally came back from the dead and that's the first thing you ask her?

  
"Are you feeling all right professor?" Dimitri asked, the entire Faerghus group standing behind him.

  
There was a muffled _oomph_ and and _ughs_ and Byleth saw Manuela squeezing herself out to the front of the crowd from between Raphael and Dedue.

  
"Goodness, all of you have no respect for your senior," she grumbled, dusting herself. Byleth felt the physician scanning her. "I have never treated someone who came back from the dead before. This is truly a medical marvel."

  
"Or a miracle," Byleth quipped.

  
"Knowing your history, I believe that," she smirked. She walked over to Byleth to perform several check ups on her. Once Manuela gave her the all clear, Byleth found herself immediately surrounded by all of her former students and friends. They flooded her with questions ranging from birth to afterlife experience. Half of them cooed over Cyrus in her arms. Byleth was thankful all of them had the common sense to keep their volume down so as not to wake her sleeping son.

  
Amidst the quiet commotion, Byleth searched for Claude who was watching over the entire scene in the background with an amused look. Their eyes met and Claude gave her a tender smile, the ones he reserved just for her in private.

  
She understood. Right here in the room with all their friends from the three kingdoms sharing kinship with one another, and the baby in her arms carrying blood of two different nations so adored and loved already, they were much closer to making their dreams a reality. Together.

  
And at the end of the day, it was their endless trust, support and love towards one another that helped them get so far.

  
They remain as each other's most beautiful life. And what a golden bright future it will be ahead of them.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> All right folks, I hope you enjoyed that ride!
> 
> And if you haven't made the connection to why Byleth chose the name Cyrus, the name meant sun and Cyrus (to me at least) sounds passable in both Fodlan and Almyra, which represents how the child will belong in both nations. They are all a part of the sky because Claude's crest is the moon and I headcannon he would often call Byleth as his star for his sentiments towards stars (and the actual fell star that is Sothis in her but this was never his priority). 
> 
> Thank you again to aurics for the beta!


End file.
